Ryanair asks UK competition authority to reconsider Aer Lingus decision

DUBLIN, March 3 (Reuters) - Ryanair has asked Britain's Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) to reconsider a 2013 decision ordering it to sell down its 30 percent stake in Irish rival Aer Lingus (Other OTC: AELGF - news) .

One of the reasons for the order to sell at least 25 percent was the fact that Ryanair's shareholding might be an obstacle to Aer Lingus merging or being acquired by another airline.

But Ryanair said the fact that British Airways owner IAG has secured the support of Aer Lingus's board for a 1.36 billion-euro ($1.5 billion) bid for Aer Lingus disproves this point.

That deal has for now been stalled by political opposition in Ireland (Other OTC: IRLD - news) .

"The findings in the Final Report have now been contradicted and disproven by events, which demonstrate conclusively that Ryanair's shareholding in Aer Lingus does not prevent Aer Lingus from merging with, being acquired by ... other airlines," Ryanair said in its submission, which was posted on the CMA web site.

Events "fatally undermine the lawfulness of the proposed divestment remedy," Ryanair said.

The CMA said that interested parties have until March 17 to respond to Ryanair's statement.

Ryanair has made a series of legal challenges to the CMA decision and is planning to appeal to the UK's Supreme Court. (Reporting by Conor Humphries; Editing by Greg Mahlich)